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Gardee had a bullet at the back of her head

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The family of Hillary Gardee said they are concerned about the police handling her murder case. Photo by Bulelwa Ginindza
The family of Hillary Gardee said they are concerned about the police handling her murder case. Photo by Bulelwa Ginindza

THE family of Hillary Gardee has raised concerns about the way police handled the crime scene. 

This is after a postmorterm report indicated that Hillary had a bullet wound at the back of her head and bruises  on her arm.

EFF’s Sinawo Tambo, who is also the family spokesman, told reporters outside Hillary’s house that the 28-year-old was shot almost execution style.

He said police removed the body from the crime scene without picking up that a bullet had entered Hillary’s  head. He said that showed incompetence. 

“Our biggest concern is that the police on the scene did not pick up that Hillary Gardee had been shot. This is  gross incompetence. It does not need forensics to identity bullet wounds.

“It means that the police did not conduct a thorough investigation of the crime scene. At this stage, it is too late and that crime scene has been contaminated. People were doing walkabouts with the media there.

“There were bruises on her arm, which revealed that there was a struggle. When she was found by her uncle, Moses Mbatha, she was clutching onto pieces of grass, which means she was still alive at some stage and perhaps trying to escape,” he said.

Tambo has accused the police of failing to identity that there was a bullet wound, stating that it was something that should be part and parcel of recreating the crime scene.

“Now they can’t recreate that crime scene. They didn’t locate catridges. They don’t know what happened in terms of that location.

“This shows a very concerning light on whether these police are taking this matter seriously. We thought they were working hard but as things stand now, there is no indication that this will go anywhere if we allow the police service to lead this process,” he said. 

Tambo said the family was extremely disappointed and becoming concerned that the the motive behind the murder of Hillary is much deeper than just a common criminal act of abduction and extortion of money. 

“There might be much more serious underlying circumstances because the trend we are now seeing resembles the murder of Tshegofatso Pule, Karabo and others.

“We will be getting a further update in that regard but the postmorterm results revealed the incompetent handling of the crime scene by the police,” he said. 

He added that there were transactions made on her bank cards, but further investigations are being made.

“There was confirmation that there were transactions from the point Hillary was abducted, but with the revelation that there was a bullet found in her head, we are also suspecting that this might be a divertion to try and characterise this as a common criminal act.

“We are looking at everything with suspicion as this  case develops. We do not want to enter into the realm of speculations.

“One cannot shoot someone in the head for a transaction of R1 300. The risk is too high. 

“It does not inspire us to believe that this is a common criminal act to steal petty cash,” he said. 

Tambo said the level of the police officers’ incompetence will jeorpadise the entire case.

He said discussions about funeral arrangements are still taking place.

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